Magazine torpedo-cane.



. UNITED STATES? PATENT Grams.

' line X X of Fig. .1.

' MAGAZINE TORPEDO-CANE.

srncrrrcn'rrolvremm part of Letters Patent N 0. 704,310, dated July 8 1902.

Application filed November 19,1901. Serial No- 82,844=. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN H. FOX, a citize of the United States, residing'at Fostoria, in the county of Senecaand State of Ohio, have invented a-new and useful Improvement in Magazine Torpedo-Canes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in a magazine torpedo-cane, and has for its object to produce a device of the kind provided with a magazine, in which a number of tor: pedoes may be stored and from which they may be automatically fed singly into the fir-- ing chamber and exploded therein; furthermore, to produce a rapid-firing device of the kind that will explode a torpedo on the stroke and automatically reload another 0 the lift to repeat the stroke.

A further object is to produce an inexpensive device of the kind having few and sim ple parts, readily assembled and secured o; gether, and operating with reduced friction.

I attain these objects by constructing my invention as hereinafter described, and illustrated in the drawings, in which; Figure 1 is a view in elevation of my in vention. Fig. 2 is a full-sized section on the and part elevation on line YY of Fig. 2, showing magazine and'loadin'g and firing mechan ism imposition at moment of firing. Fig. 4

. is a similar view showing the position of the several parts at themoment of reloading; and

. Fig. 5 is a sectional view-on the line Z Z of Fig. 2, showing the firing-plug in elevation.

In the drawings, '1. 'designates thecane body, which is provided at the lower end with a central longitudinal bore 2, extending toward the top a sufficient distance to provide a magazine of the desired capacity, and at the upper endoflthe bore 2 is provided a lat v eral bore 3, forming an opening for filling the magazine, which is provided with a suitable closure 4.

Upon the lower end of the cane-body 1v there is mounted the loading and firing mechanism, which comprises the mortar 5 and the plug 6. The latter has formed therein a socket '7 to receive the tenon 8, formed on the lower end of the cane-body and to which the plug is secured, as hereinafter described.

- The mortar 5 is a cylindrical-form of cup Fig." 3 is a part section" having an outWardly-convexed and inwardlyconcave bottom 9, and its wall is segmentally thickened on one side, forming an interior longitudinal plane 10 parallel with a plane of its axis and extending from the top to near the bottom of the cavity 11, and in opposite sides of the plane 10 are provided the parallel grooves 12, semicircular in cross-section and extending longitudinally from points equidistant from the top of the mortar toward the bottom.

The firing-plug 6 in its outward form and dimensions is adapted to conform to the cavity.11 of the mortar and to be telescopically inserted therein to contact with the bottom, a longitudinal segment being cut away at one side to form a plane 13, coinciding with the plane 10 0f the mortar.

In the face of the plane 13 are formed parallel grooves 14, semicircular in cross-section, which are of equal length and radius with grooves 12 and so located that when the plugis fully inserted withinthe mortar they will, together with grooves 12, form inclosed bisected bores.

At the-top ends of grooves 14 are provided orifices'15 transversely throughthe, wall of the plug and forming openings from the J grooves into the socket 7, and at the bottom 'of the socket 7 is provided the lateral orifice 16 through the Wtll'Of the plug central of the width of plane 13, the diameter of the orifice being the same as that of the magazine-bore 2. Opposite to the orifice 16, when the firing-plug is fully inserted in the mortar with its lower end resting on the bottom of the mortar, there is also provided in the plane 10 of the mortar a cavity 17 of a size and lateral depth to freely receive a single torpedo 18, the torpedoes being in the form of pelletsoflslightly less diameter than the bore 2 of the magazine, and to complete a connec- I tion from the cavity 17 to theinagazine-bore 2 a lateral incut 19 is formed in the end of the tenon 8 of the cane-body, adapted when the tenon is fitted in thesocket 7 of the plug to form a lateral opening from the orifice 16 to the magazine-bore 2 of the cane-body, and a curved projection 20 from the bottom of the plug in the line of the magazine-bore 2 is provided to prevent the torpedoes from becoming jammed at the bottom of the bore 2'. Through the wall of the mortar, on opposite too sides, above the bottom 9, are provided vents 23 of suitable capacity for the free escape of the gases of the exploded charge.

The parts thus constructed are operatively assembled and secured together in the following manner: The plug 6 being first inserted in the mortar until it rests on the bottom of the mortar, it is movably secured therein by inserting balls 21 of suitable diameter through the orifices 15 into the bisected bores formed by the complementary grooves 12 and 14. The tenon 8 of the cane-body is then forced into the socket 7 of the plug and is further secured therein by screws 22, run through the orifices l5 (countersunk to receive the heads of the screws flush with the face of the plane 13) into the body of the cane. Thus assembled and secured the balls 20 allow the free telescopic movement of the plug within the mortar, but prevent its full withdrawal therefrom, and it is apparent that when its lower end is resting on the bottom of the mortar, as shown in Fig. 3, the orifice 16 in the firing-plug will register with the cavity 17 of the mortarand that a single torpedo will be deposited in the cavity from the magazine. It is further apparent that when the cane is lifted the parts will automatically assume the position as shown in Fig. 4 and the torpedo will roll from the cavity 17 to the bottom of the mortar in position to be exploded, and that by striking the bottom of the mortar onasolid body the firing-plug will be telescoped therein and strike the torpedo and explode it by the concussion. At the same instant and by the same stroke another torpedo will be automatically deposited in the cavity 17 from the magazine, which in lifting the cane to repeat the stroke will bereleased and deposited in the bottom of the mortar, which operation will be repeated as often as there is a stroke of the cane and until the magazine is emptied.

By constructing myinvention as shown and described I secure the following advantages: first, a greatly-reduced cost of manufacture; second, the increased length of the lateral passage from the magazine to the loadingcavity prevents any rebound of the torpedo about to be loaded when a stroke is made, thereby insuring that the cane will be reloaded at each stroke, and, third, the balls in the grooves reduce the friction of the telescopic movement of the parts and as stops for such movement cannot be displaced.

What I claim to be new is 1. In a repeating torpedo-cane, the combination of a cane-body or the like having a magazine extending from the lower end upward to an inlet; an inner ferrule permanently mounted on the lower end of the body and having a lateral outlet for the magazine; an outer ferrule telescopically mounted over the inner ferrule and adapted to reciprocate thereon to and from contact of the bottom ends of the ferrules; complementary grooves in the outer and inner ferrules; a ball confined within the grooves, adapted to limit the outward movement of the parts, and means to feed torpedoes singly from the outlet of the magazine into the outer'ferrule by the reciprocation of the ferrules.

2. In a magazine torpedo-cane, the combination of a cylindriform mortar having interior parallel longitudinal grooves in its wall; a cylindriform firing-plug mounted in the mortar and movable telescopically therein to and from contact with the bottom of the mortar and having exterior grooves in alinement with the grooves of the mortar adapted to fully register therewith when the bottom of the plug isin contact with the bottom of. the mortar, and form inclosed bisected bores; balls in the bisected bores thus formed, adapted to prevent the full withdrawal of the plug; a cane-body or the like having its lower end mounted in the firing-plug and provided with a magazine having a lateral outlet through the plug, and means to feed torpedoes singly from the outlet of the magazine into the mortar by the reciprocation of the mortar on the plug or the plug in the mortar.

3. In a torpedo-cane the combination of a cylindriform mortar having a lateral cavity in its interior wall; a cylindriform firing-plug mounted in the mortar and movable telescopically therein to contact with the bottom of the mortar and having a lateral orifice through its wall adapted to register with the cavity in the wall of the mortar when the bottom of the plug is in contact with the bottom of the mortar and to be kept closed by the wall of the mortar when moved out of register with the cavity; and means to prevent the entire withdrawal of the plug from the mortar, and its rotation therein.

4. In a torpedo-cane the combination of a cylindriform mortar having a lateral cavity in its interior wall; a cylindriform firing-plug mounted in the mortar and movable telescopically therein to contact with the bottom of the mortar and having a lateral orifice through its wall adapted to register with the cavity in the wall of the mortar when the bottom of the plug is in contact with the bottom of the mortar and to be kept closed by the wall of the mortar when moved out of register withthe cavity; means to prevent the entire withdrawal of the plug from the mortar, a cane-body having its lower end secured in the plug and having a central longitudinal bore extending from the lower end upward to an opening provided with a closure, and a lateral opening from the bore of the cane-body to the lateral orifice of the plug.

5. In a magazine torpedo-cane, the combination of a cylindriform mortar, having an interior longitudinal segmental plane provided with a lateral cavity and a groove extending longitudinally within the plane out of line with the cavity; a cylindriform firing plug telescopically mounted in the mortar having an exterior segmental plane coinciding with the plane of the mortar, and closing itslateral cavity, and provided with an orifice adapted to register with the cavity and also provided with a groove adapted to register with the grooves ofthe mortar and form an inclosed bisected bore, when the bottom of the plug is in contact with the bottom of the mortar; a ball in the bisected bore adapted to prevent the entire withdrawal of the plug from the mortar; a cane-body securedin'the plug and having a central longitudinal bore extending from the lower end upward to an opening provided with a closure;'and a lateral opening from the bore of the cane-body to the lateral orifice of the plug.

6. In a magazine torpedo-cane the combination of a cane-body having a central lon gitudinal bore extending from the lowerend upward to an opening provided with a closure;

an inner ferrule permanently mounted on the lower end of the cane-body having a lateral orifice connected with the bore of the canebody; an outer ferrule telescopically mounted over the inner ferrule and closing its lateral orifice and having a lateral cavity adapted to register with the lateral orifice of the inner ferrule when the bottom of the latter contacts with the bottom of the outer ferrule; compleimentary coinciding grooves in the coinciding faces of the ferrules; and a ball confined between each pair of complementary grooves.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 13th day-of November, A. D. 1901.

JOHN H. FOX- l Witnesses:

IRVING E. MACOMBER, F. S. MAOOMBER; 

